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DRIVING THE WEEK, PART I: The Obama administration is set to release its budget this Wednesday — and while it’s largely symbolic (as any White House budget proposal is dead on arrival on the Hill these days), it will offer a hint about where the administration is positioning its post-election strategy. In his weekly address Saturday, President Barack Obama teased energy priorities: “To make America a magnet for good jobs, we’ll invest in high-tech manufacturing and homegrown American energy, put people to work building new roads, bridges, and schools, and cut red tape to help businesses grow,” Obama said. That echoes Obama’s previous rhetoric that usually indicated a push for increased renewable energy deployment, support for biofuels and expanded natural gas drilling.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: In last year’s proposal from the White House, the Energy Department came out as a big winner, with the executive branch pushing for a 5.6 percent budget increase, including more money for renewable energy and advanced manufacturing programs. The proposal also boosted transportation spending and would have boosted funds for the often-bipartisan issue of pipeline safety. EPA didn't fare as well in the proposal, getting another budget trimming even as the administration doubled down on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

DRIVING THE WEEK, PART II: Energy secretary nominee Ernest Moniz and EPA nominee Gina McCarthy will be grilled in committee all week — and while both present tempting targets for senators looking to pound EPA over regulations or question Moniz’s position on fracking, there’s no indication either will face enough opposition to block their nominations in committee. Moniz appears before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee tomorrow (and will get an intro from former panel chairman Jeff Bingaman and Brent Scowcroft, co-chairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission on nuclear waste storage. McCarthy is scheduled to testify before the Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday.

ANTI-KXL GROUP HITS PIPELINE IN AD BUY: A new group calling itself the All Risk, No Reward Coalition is going after the Keystone XL pipeline with ad buys and other initiatives — including commercials on yesterday’s Sunday shows. The spot warns of more spills like the recent one in Arkansas and alleges the crude will all be exported, providing little benefit to the U.S. The group, whose members include the League of Conservation Voters and BOLD Nebraska, will hold a news conference this afternoon to explain its national and state-level advertising plans. The ad: http://youtu.be/Y3EbfcuxLNM

What’s a Sunday show commercial cost, anyway? According to FCC records the coalition’s 30-second buy on CBS’s “Face the Nation” yesterday cost $18,000.

ALBERTA ADS TOUT CANADIAN EMISSIONS RESTRICTIONS: The Calgary Herald, meanwhile writes that Alberta is taking out $77,000 in ads in the Washington Post, POLITICO, Roll Call and National Journal this week while Premier Alison Redford is in town to talk up the pipeline. The ads “tout industry restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, government funding for clean technology projects and vast stretches of protected land in Alberta’s oilsands,” the Herald writes: http://bit.ly/Xl9BRG

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: Five green groups are again asking the State Department to extend the public comment period on its draft supplemental environmental impact statement in the aftermath of the Arkansas spill. “The disaster in Mayflower demonstrates, once again, the severity of these risks and the need to evaluate them. The public, the State Department, and other federal agencies involved in the Keystone XL decision must know what went wrong with the Pegasus pipeline before they can evaluate whether similar accidents are likely to occur on the much larger Keystone XL,” the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, NRDC, League of Conservation Voters and 350.org write in a letter today: http://politico.pro/10LX738

FISKER FIRINGS FLAME FEARS: Fisker’s firing of about 80 percent of its staff on Friday flamed the fires that the automaker is on the verge of bankruptcy — which thanks to an outstanding DOE loan would leave some of its assets in taxpayers’ hands, the Los Angeles Times writes. “Fisker is supposed to make the first payment on some of $192 million it borrowed from the government later this month. Fisker’s tooling and other property make up the collateral on the loan.” LAT: http://lat.ms/17hEOt5

LOCAL ANGLE — HOPES IN DELAWARE FADE: Officials in the First State had been hoping Fisker would move forward and convert an old GM plant there into a new assembly facility. The News Journal: “GM left the plant in 2009, and the hybrid electric car company’s decision later that year to buy the plant, with financial help from Delaware and the federal government, was hailed as a new chapter in the life of the 66-year-old World War II-era facility.” http://delonline.us/14XCk3v

In case you were wondering what Sarah Palin thinks: The ex-gov weighs in on Facebook: “This is really just the latest manifestation of the administration’s crony capitalism as their green energy buddies benefit from this atrocious waste of taxpayer money. Americans really need to get outraged by these wasteful ventures.” http://on.fb.me/Z709P7

ALL RISE: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments today in a case questioning whether EPA can — on a permanent or a temporary basis — exclude greenhouse gas emissions from burning biomass from some of its Clean Air Act permitting requirements. 9:30 a.m. in the USCA Courtroom, before judges Karen LeCraft Henderson, David Tatel and Brett Kavanaugh.

DEBUTING TODAY: POLITICO Pro unveils ‘Pro Report,’ an end of the day newsletter exclusively for Pros, featuring the most essential policy news that broke since the morning cycle. The roundup also offers a sneak peek into the next day’s biggest story lines. Pro Report will be sent to all Pro readers by 6 p.m. every weekday and published later that evening on POLITICO’s home page. An excerpt of the newsletter will also appear in the next morning’s print edition. Want to be a Pro? E-mail info@politicopro.com.

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: What does increased shale development mean for America? More industrial and manufacturing facilities coming home to the U.S. because affordable, domestic natural gas is making American companies and workers more competitive. http://bit.ly/TGEQpJ **

FOR YOUR RADAR — RADIOACTIVE WATER LEAK AT FUKUSHIMA: Via The New York Times: “Tens of thousands of gallons of radioactive water leaked from a large underground storage pool at Japan’s crippled nuclear plant, and thousands more gallons could seep out before the faulty pool can be emptied, the plant’s operator said Saturday. About 120 tons, or almost 32,000 gallons, of highly contaminated water appeared to have breached the inner protective lining of the pool at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.” NYT: http://nyti.ms/Y2BLT0

EXXON SAYS IT DIDN’T THREATEN TO HAVE REPORTERS ARRESTED: ExxonMobil is disputing a report by InsideClimate News that a journalist seeking information about the company’s oil spill cleanup in Arkansas was threatened with arrest this week. ICYMI, Talia Buford has more: http://politico.pro/YEQiUd. Mother Jones also reported Friday that a radio reporter and other media were threatened with arrest: http://bit.ly/10CeEfm

FLOOR WATCH: As members trudge back to town from spring break sporting new tans, the House will take up a few low-profile energy bills this week. First up is H.R. 254, backed by Republican Jason Chaffetz of Utah, that would authorize the Interior Department to permit hydroelectric development within a Utah water project. Similar legislation passed the House several times before, most recently last summer, but has yet to move in the Senate. Then, as early as Wednesday, the House could vote on another hydro bill from Republican Scott Tipton of Colorado, which would give NEPA exemptions to small hydropower projects and passed out of committee in March 17-12. The Rules Committee will meet to go over that bill, H.R. 678, tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Capitol H-313: http://1.usa.gov/XmlhmY

MOVER, SHAKER: The California Air Resources Board has picked Richard Corey as its new executive officer. Corey has previously overseen CARB's stationary source division, which included fuels, air toxics and climate change, according to the agency.

DOWN THE HATCH: A Utah woman trying to find out if Sen. Orrin Hatch would be holding town hall meetings near her so she could talk to him about opposing the Keystone XL pipeline got a call from Capitol Police after their received “a complaint about her from Hatch’s office and that they felt she might be a suspicious person,” Salt Lake City Tribune columnist Paul Rolly writes. They may also have tapped her phones, Rolly implies: http://bit.ly/17lcaXU

QUICK HITS

— The Office of Surface Mining plans to publish its rewrite of the stream buffer zone rule in 2014, Director Joe Pizarchik has told the House Natural Resources Committee. Platts: http://bit.ly/ZaZeNP

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are working with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **

CORRECTION: A previous version of Morning Energy misidentified Richard Corey’s new position with the California Air Resources Board. Corey is the new executive officer.